Who's coming over for Thanksgiving dinner, and what do they eat? Or better yet, what don't they eat?

This holiday, I'm hosting a vegan friend, a pescatarian (vegetarian who eats fish) niece, a diabetic dad, two guests who follow the Paleolithic diet, and a cousin on Weight Watchers. I'm still waiting for a possible dinner guest who's gluten-free to RSVP.

Lest a vegan be stuck with a plateful of cranberry sauce, what's a thoughtful hostess to do on Turkey Day when some of your guests don't eat the big bird?

Consider my list of do's and don'ts for hosting varying eating styles while making sure no one, including the cook, gets their feathers ruffled:

Do: Take an early poll. These days, you need more than a head count to plan a dinner party. Ask guests about dietary restrictions and food allergies well ahead of the game, and plan accordingly. You might cross-reference dishes or ingredients that work for several guests. (And perhaps realize that what works best is a potluck Thanksgiving or going to a restaurant.)

Don't: Ask dinner guests to take a day off from their diet preferences, because “C'mon, it's Thanksgiving.” A person with celiac disease or diabetes doesn't get a day off.

Do: Be creative. My vegan friend said he'd rather bite into a shoe than a Tofurky (a vegetarian meat substitute). Go beyond a faux bird and green salad, and think quinoa and cranberry stuffing served in an acorn squash, fresh pumpkin and sage ravioli. Or a black rice and mushroom salad. How about homemade vegan butter with fresh herbs to top some gluten-free, vegan dinner rolls? Have fun with the endless possibilities.

For instance, skip the potatoes au gratin or sticks of butter and cheese in your mashed potatoes, and experiment with a new recipe. Try mashers made with olive oil, plain, non-dairy milk and/or vegan mayonnaise or butter. Sprinkle with nutritional yeast to add a cheesy flavor and fresh herbs to tie it together.

Do: Protect the integrity of your vegetables. Nothing is more irksome to a vegetarian than beautiful green beans topped with bacon bits or cream. “A good vegetable tastes best when it's fresh and simply prepared,” says Neal. Shop at the farmers market for seasonal and local produce, and keep the vegetables vegan.

Do: Read ingredient lists, especially when avoiding gluten. The protein in wheat can be found in everything from turkey seasonings and gravy to marinades and soy sauce. When possible, make recipe substitutions — wheat and gluten-free arrowroot flour in the gravy, vegetable broth and gluten-free bread in your favorite stuffing recipe, and gluten-free pasta for the mac 'n cheese.

Don't: Overdo the starches. “Thanksgiving can be the starchiest meal of the year,” Neal says. “Between the potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, mac 'n cheese, peas, and dinner rolls, your Thanksgiving menu might induce a diabetic coma.” Pick a couple of starches and opt for lots of veggie options, she advises.

Do: Watch the nuts. And, I don't mean Uncle Larry. “To be safe, I keep nuts off the menu, or at the very least, leave them off to the side,” says Neal. “You don't want to take a chance on a guest with a nut allergy.”

Claudia Zapata is a registered dietitian. Her column appears every other Sunday in Taste. Email Claudia at czhealth@gmail.com, follow her at Twitter at @ClaudiaZapata and on Facebook at Claudia Zapata, MS, RD.